Speaker Biographies

Troy Glasner

As the President of E3 Eco Group, Troy became an advocate for building with energy efficiency, sustainability and health in mind. E3 Eco Group is dedicated to meeting the needs of their clients for the highest quality sustainable building solutions from manufacturers, service providers and those who can offer the highest standards in quality, delivery and service in this industry. E3 Eco Group is Troy is a certified energy advisor and also a BuiltGreen instructor.

Carsten Jensen is an award-winning architect with over 20 years of experience in design of schools, institutional buildings, multi-unit housing, early childhood education centre, and commercial buildings. He is currently practicing in both Ontario and British Columbia and involved in various projects, large and small. His office in Qualicum Beach has a particular focus on the design of projects with sustainability principles, prefabrication and system architecture. Carsten is the founder of Jenesys Buildings Corp., a company devoted to designing and manufacturing high performance sustainable houses.

Jack Anderson, founder and president of Anderson Greenplan Limited, is a professional consultant who practices within the dual disciplines of planning and architecture. Jack's undergraduate education in the fields of architecture and urban design was followed with graduate work in the ecological community design where he developed his passion to encourage an ecologically sensitive approach to building and land development. His history in Duncan and Nanaimo and a background in urban design provided him the opportunity to serve in the first Planning Department for the City of Nanaimo in the late 1970's followed shortly thereafter as a Park Planner in the Parks and Recreation Department. These years were part of his 15 years of employment in the planning field with provincial and municipal government services intertwined with years as a design and planning consultant. His final years of public service were within the Regional District of Nanaimo's Planning Department from 1996 to 2001. He returned to consulting practice and established Anderson Greenplan Ltd.. Currently he manages Greenplan providing both planning and design services for various private sector interests, societies, first nation communities and individual families with a particular passion for encouraging permaculture practice, sustainable development and green building design.

Brandon is a naturalist, organic farmer, biodiversity specialist, seed saver, herbalist, and soil scientist. Brandon is the founder of Blue Raven Farm on Saltspring Island where he dabbles in plants and propagation and small farm design and management having immersed himself in the world of Permaculture for the last several years. He teaches permaculture design at Blue Raven Permaculture Farm as well as at O.U.R. Ecovillage. He has a talent for energizing his participants with his vast knowledge of native and non-native plant systems and will surely leave you inspired if you let him.

Elke Cole is a Natural House Designer, builder and educator. She lives at O.U.R. Ecovillage on Vancouver Island, Canada, where she coordinates the "Natural Building Skillbuilder " programs and has her consultation and design business Houses That Love You Back.

Elke's work takes her around the globe with projects in Africa, India, and Costa Rica. Her designs are based in Permaculture and value relationships between owners, builders and the natural environment presented at the site. Elke is one of Cobworks founders. Working with groups on design and leading workshops on building projects has earned Elke a solid reputation in the Natural Building field.

Jim Smith holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of British Columbia. He is an engineer and also a certified solar hot water system installer. His passion for alternative energy solutions led him to become a director at Wizards 4 Environmental Technologies, a company that offers a wide range of services and products including water treatment system solutions, wind generation, solar photovoltaic system, solar hot water installation and heat pump technology.

Ryan Clark is the General Manager of Twelve Cubed Homes - an innovative company that creates attractive, high quality, environmentally responsible and affordable micro-homes. With a Commerce degree in Entrepreneurial Management, Mr. Clark brings his business development, leadership and marketing experience to the company.

With six years' experience in the sustainability field, Mr. Clark is an advocate of the triple bottom line of sustainability and believes that an environmental, social, and economic mind set is necessary for any company.

Twelve Cubed Homes is excited to bring to market innovative housing solutions that address the worlds housing issues. Twelve Cubed Homes is out to change the way people think about housing.

Ann and Gord Baird walk the talk of sustainable living in their multi-generational home. Features include passive solar design, solar PV with grid tie, net zero electricity, energy and water conservation, solar thermal hot water, composting (no flush) toilets, rain water harvesting, grey water re-use, a living roof, earthen floors, and natural finishes into their exceptionally beautiful, modern and affordable version of earthen architecture. The couple's passion and knowledge is expressed in their work consulting, building, advancing policy , research, and in the hundreds of tours they have given through their home. The Eco-Sense home is registered for the Living Building Challenge. They teach that if it isn't affordable it isn't sustainable and live their motto 'less life stuff...more life style'!

Bill and Cindy McCaugherty of RainCoast Homes Drafting and Design, are passionate about natural building design and construction. They have extensive design experience with various forms of natural building including load bearing cob, strawbale, post and beam cob infill, rammed earth, and light clay straw and wood chip infill. They are testing the limits of their ambition with their latest project - their own house, a design-built energy efficient home that utilizes many natural and locally sourced materials. The project incorporates passive solar design strategies and features a solar hot water system, grey water re-use, suspended earthen floors, living roofs, earthen plasters and two unique super insulating exterior wall systems.

Michel has 15 years' experience in green building research and sustainable architectural projects. He has served as a board/committee member for the AIBC Energy + Environment Committee, the Ecodesign Resources Society and Lighthouse Sustainable Building Centre. As a green building specialist Michel was instrumental in developing The City of Vancouver Passive Design Guide, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Sustainable Design of Canadian Buildings 101 Course and the CaGBC Municipal Tool Kit. In addition to being a design architect, he has served as a green consultant to architectural firms, general contractors and local governments such as the Metro Vancouver, the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), TransLink and the CaGBC. Michel recently completed the green building strategy for East Fraserlands - a new sustainable community to be developed on 130 acres of industrial land. He also worked on the City of Vancouver's green renovation program for single family homes.

Over a period of almost thirty years in construction related businesses Ken has been directly involved in two successful start-ups of companies which are still in business today (26 and 11 years, respectively). He is past president of the Nanaimo Executive Association. Ken was trained as a residential "Power Smart" contractor in 1990, and currently manages Pheasant Hill Homes Ltd., a respected leader and innovator in the residential construction sector in the Nanaimo area. Ken has been a student of building science for many years, and brings a practical, balanced approach to sustainable building. He is committed to meeting the challenges that environmental issues, and changing social and economic dynamics, present for traditional housing strategies.

Ian Gartshore is the president of Shore Energy Solutions, a company that offers professional services to homeowners, businesses, and building owners to manage their energy needs. Ian has gained solid technological skills at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and tremendous people skills through his work with volunteer organizations and in the field of conflict resolution. He has considerable experience in building energy performance analysis and has helped many people to achieve their energy reduction targets while improving thermal comfort. He is also a founder of Energy Solutions for Vancouver Island, a non-profit organization that has a mandate to promote solutions for meeting Vancouver Island's energy needs in socially and environmentally responsible ways.

With a Masterâ€™s Degree in Architecture and a Bachelorâ€™s degree in Environmental Studies, Nathan Middleton brings extensive education and passion to the sustainable field. His theoretical training is constantly applied and tested in regional energy efficient buildings located in the Caribbean and in British Columbia. Designing with wind for human comfort, thermal mass for heating and cooling, extreme building envelopes and systems for comfort and survival, all form part of his drive for sustainability. Beyond the practical application of environmental science is the artful expression of these tectonic ideas in built form.